1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus having a stapler that bundles a plurality of sheets and an image forming system provided with the sheet post-processing apparatus.
2. Background Art
The stapler is a processing apparatus for bundling sheets using a binding staple.
In the sheet post-processing apparatus having a stapler, there is a case in which the binding staple is not properly punched from the stapler, namely, a staple jam occurs.
In case when the staple jam occurs, the staple jam is detected, an operator is notified of the necessity to clear the staple jam, and the apparatus stops.
The operator removes a bundle of sheets that is loaded on a stacker and being under a binding process. The operator also accesses the stapler to remove a staple that is remaining without being properly punched. Thus, the staple jam is cleared and a process is resumed.
Conventionally, there is a mechanism that enables the operator to access the stapler to clear the staple jam. This mechanism is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H10-129920, (Patent Document 1).
In the Patent Document 1, a stapler unit includes a stacker for stacking a sheet onto which a binding process is performed, an aligning device for aligning the sheet on the stacker and a stapler. The mechanism is configured so that the above mentioned stapler unit can be pulled out of the sheet post-processing apparatus to clear the staple jam.
In the Patent Document 1, the stapler unit is pulled out from the main body of the apparatus at the time of the occurrence of the staple jam. Since the unit pulled out has a large capacity, a large workspace is required for clearing the staple jam. In other words, a substantial occupation area of the sheet post-processing apparatus becomes large.
In a system in which the post-processing apparatus is arranged on the left-hand side of an image forming apparatus, a home position of the stapler is generally arranged on the far side of the post-processing apparatus by taking into consideration of the moving distant of the stapler at the time of stapling at the left corner of the sheet to be discharged facedown.
Therefore, in order to pull out the stapler being evacuated to the home position to a near side position where the operator can access to clear the staple jam, it is necessary to pull the stapler unit farther out from the apparatus main body. Thus, the workspace for clearing the staple jam becomes very large.
Since the unit pulled out becomes large-sized, the structure for pulling the unit out also becomes large. Thus, the apparatus becomes large and the cost increases.